


College

by hyacinthocanis



Series: One Word Prompts [1]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 20:06:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9458525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyacinthocanis/pseuds/hyacinthocanis
Summary: Scully gives a guest lecture, and Mulder is there to watch.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first part in a series of drabbles inspired by one word prompts from [here](http://towriteprompts.tumblr.com/onewordprompts).
> 
> It's my first time writing anything for this fandom, so if this feels somewhat ooc, it's because I'm still getting used to their voices. Also this wasn't beta-read, so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> Enjoy! :)

He’s standing at the far end of the lecture hall, leaning against the wall with his jacket nonchalantly thrown over his shoulder. She’s pretending he isn’t there, and he’s pretending _she isn’t pretending he isn’t there_. If he truly wanted her not to see him, he would have taken one of the seats in the back row, but _this_ – his pose, his gaze, his ridiculous way of holding his jacket – this is all for display. That much Scully knows, and although she’s delighted by Mulder’s presence – not that she would ever admit this in front of him – she decides not to play his game. Not this time.

She finishes the lecture by encouraging the students to research more about the topic she’s been talking about on their own, but her voice barely reaches any of them over the commotion her “ _this is all for today_ ” causes. To her surprise, a group of young girls linger behind the others, and approach Scully to ask more questions and further clarification. When the girls leave, she’s almost surprised to see Mulder standing in the exact same spot as before. Gathering her papers, she finally acknowledges him with a quick smile.

Mulder starts clapping slowly as Scully is walking in his direction, the grin on his face widening with every step she’s taking.

“Hello, Mulder,” she says, not before rolling her eyes at him, a gesture that feels almost compulsory when it comes to her partner.

“Who knew hepatic macrophage heterogeneity in liver diseases could be so interesting?”

“You, apparently. When you decided to attend the lecture.”

She raises an eyebrow questioningly. Mulder is beaming. He’s giddy, and he’s not putting any effort in toning it down. Clearly he’s in a good mood today, and something tells Scully it doesn’t have much to do with the diseased liver tissue slides she’s been showing the students. Or maybe it does. She’s seen Mulder get excited about stranger things than this.

“My partner was taken away from me for a mysterious guest lecture,” he answers, staring down at Scully in a way that makes his hair fall all over his eyes. “I had to come down here to investigate.”

Scully smiles while putting the papers away in her briefcase.

“And what did your investigation uncover?”

“I think I saw Abraham Lincoln on a SEM image.”

She closes her eyes slowly, and lets a short puff out through her nose. “Always vigilant, Agent Mulder. Always vigilant.”

They’re facing each other now, just the two of them in the empty lecture hall. They maintain eye contact for a few seconds, Scully with her briefcase in one hand, and Mulder with his jacket now draped over his forearm, until he chortles suddenly, and then looks away.

“What is it with you today, Mulder?” Scully finally asks the question that’s been on her mind since she first saw him that morning. “Spring is five months away, but you’re positively _blooming_.”

He’s looking at her as if it’s the first time he notices that Scully – Scully his partner, Scully the medical doctor, Scully the FBI agent – is tangible and real, flesh and blood, now standing within the reach of his hands.

“I was actually–” he tries, and fails. He shifts his weight from one leg to the other. “I was going to ask you out for lunch.”

She’s watching him for a long moment, trying to determine if he’s joking or not, with all his giggling and smiling and – _God_ , he’s such a big child. If it were anyone else, that would bother her to no end. But it’s Mulder, and it’s endearing, and it’s all that matters.

“Be honest, Mulder,” she says, feigning a formal tone. “Is it an X file?”

He laughs again, and she can’t help but do the same.

“Not yet, but it’ll become one if you accept the offer.”

“Well,” she begins, tilting her head slightly. “Then you’d better head for the basement, Mulder, because you’ve just got yourself a new case.”

His smile is genuine and _whole_ as he opens the doors, and allows Scully to walk in front of him. Then he hurries to join her side, and Scully prays that nobody from the bureau will see them here because they must look like two idiots, two unsure teens dancing around each other, and not the mature adults they are, let alone the sober FBI agents they’re supposed to be. And yet. Work is work, but Scully has just finished hers, and Mulder is free today, so they might as well enjoy the rest of the day.

How the sunlight entangles with her hair, and how his eyes reflect the very same light bring a renewed sense of wonder, curiosity, and doubt. So wonderfully real, so wonderfully human, so wonderfully perfect for each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! ♥ Comments are always greatly appreciated.


End file.
